Monday, December 15, 2008

This game saw BOTH offenses have the same exact problem. Each team's offense had no running game, each team's defense could tee off on the pass rush, one team adapted and the other did not. In fact, the Giants offense had the better hand- Romo was beat up and hurting, almost immobile for most of the game. Yet the Dallas offensive coordinator, Jason Garrett, made a simple adjustment: he started calling screens, quick passes, slip screens and draws. Our pressure was negated somewhat, not entirely, but ENOUGH. Enough to save Tony Romo's life and keep the Dallas offense operating after the Giants had 3 quick sacks. The Giants? Gilbrown was utterly horrible in the playcalling. Granted, the offense is trying to find an identity after Burress. But when your team cannot run (because the Burress safety is cheating on run duty) and the defense is going after the QB, you need to simply take the aggressiveness away from that pass rush. Quick slants, 3 step drops, slip screens, draws, TE dumpoff checkdowns above the line of scrimmage. Instead, we got long 7 step drops, and ...shocking... 8 sacks. The Giants had a rookie CB to pick on, but did not take (more) advantage of that. Manning took a beating tonight, and it was not all his offensive line's fault (although Diehl and Boothe were bad). His offensive coordinator cannot figure it out. Madden talked about how the WRs couldn't get away from press coverage. At the end of the game he mentions how the only runs that were working for either team were draw plays... duh, NATURALLY! Those are running plays that work when they are PASS RUSHING! This is life after Burress. Hixon vs Newman? I would ignore that altogether, or just try a quick slant for the 1:1 coverage.

We are going to hear all week about how the Giants are in trouble, that they have lost two in a row. And it is ENTIRELY on Gilbrown. He has enough talent to make this offensive unit adapt to the new world of life after Burress. Counting on Gilbrown for in-game adjustments is tantamount to a loss. Boss, Ward and Bradshaw could have been used so much this evening on short passing plays. When we saw how Witten could rumble for first downs by catching the ball 5 yards past the line of scrimmage, it was simply nauseating. When Gilbrown finally hits Bradshaw on a quick out pass in the flat near the end of Q3 that goes for 16 yards, we ask if Gilbrown is finally getting it. Nope, back to the Dallas tee off pass rush, where three plays later they blitz and the middle of the field is WIDE open. A small screen play and the receiver is still running! But instead it is another sack.

BOTH TEAMS WERE LEMONS TONIGHT. Garrett made lemonade, Gilbride was the lemon. The Giants could have and should have won this game easily. All they needed to do was play the same small ball with quick drops and passes right behind the box. This is two weeks in a row now. The Eagles got it done, the Garretts got it done. And we may be waiting until next season before Gilbrown figures it out. EMBRACE CHANGE. CONFRONT THE BRUTAL FACTS. Once again, this was not on the defense. They tired at the very end from lack of support. The Giants offense scored 0 last game, and 6 points this game. The brutal facts are that Gilbrown cannot adapt quickly. We need the bye desperately to heal guys like Robbins, Jacobs, (McKenzie?) and others who are playing hurt. If Gilbrown does not figure it out AND FAST, our season will end even faster. The good news is that this is not rocket science. The bad news is that my confidence in Gilbrown (which was never high) is falling with every series where he does not understand the need for a simple middle screen or TE checkdown. There is still plenty of time before the playoffs to get that offensive rhythm. We can beat the Panthers and all will be well. But only if Gilbrown stops trying to use a sledgehammer to sew a hem. I still believe in the Giants. I cannot say the same for Gilbrown, a man who took a team that was leading the league in 29 points of scoring AVERAGE per game and ground it to a total halt at 3 points per. Incompetent.

Summary: Jason Garrett would have won if given either team to coach. Kevin Gilbrown would have lost if given either side. And there is no way that a team loses one player and goes from scoring an average of 29 points per game to an average of 3 points per game. You need a catalyst to halt that kind of reaction, and his name is Gilbrown.

17 comments:

I'm crushed. Unless Tom fires Gilbrown there is no repeat in our future. I did something last night I have never done in my life. I walked out on a giants game and didn't watch it to the bitter end. After they hit #44 on the wide reciever screen in quarter 3 and then proceded to not learn from that, I gave up. I could not watch them lose to the hated girls.Andy, your 100% spot on.

What about Eli? He's the one who can call an aubible. He can check into one of those plays you mention. He didn't do it. The game manager didn't manage very well.

The vaunted offensive line has lost its vaunt. One yard and a mist of blood.

The Giants have lost their mojo. If they don't get it back they will not win another game this season including the playoffs. I'm getting the same feeling I got after the Red Sox won that first playoff game in that fateful year.

For the 2nd week in a row we played against two very tough division rivals and played horribly.

I know we look like we are in a freefall right now...BUT it comes down to this:

Beat the Panthers on Sunday at Giants Stadium and things will look a whole lot better than they do right now. Beat the Panthers, and the Giants get the No. 1 overall seed and a coveted bye week before the divisional playoffs.

Now we can be the desperate team!!!

Lose to Carolina, and things look a whole lot worse. Lose to Minnesota and see the No. 2 seed disappear, and the Giants would be looking at having to duplicate last year's remarkable feat, the only difference being that they'd at least have a home game.

Andy is 1000% correct and hit all the points we touched on last night.

I have lost confidence in this team going far in the playoffs simply because of the biggest blockhead, meathead, imbecile of an OC in the history of football. Unfortunatley, TC is to loyal to dispose of this plague of an OC and only hope is that he takes over the playcalling.

Just really sad and frustrating...maybe Eli will takes some leadership and speak up.

What a crappy game to watch last night. I swear, if Gilbride were a cook, he'd make meat loaf out of filet mignon.

They can't play like this against the Panthers. The Panthers have been an offensive machine; they're going to have to score 30+. I can't believe it's been 2 weeks since I've seen a (non garbage) offensive TD.

I beg to differ, gentlemen: Execution by the Giants offensive line was horrific; the 'Girls d-backs played a great game, which limited our receivers success, and the 'Girls shut down the run.

Eli has enough play-calling latitude at the line of scrimmage to make the best call possible and execute. He -- and the offensive line! -- failed last night.

You just can't hang this on Gilbride and make yourself feel better about where the Giants players are at this point. They're badly banged up, and they're failing to play in sync with each other as they did earlier in the season.

I'm afraid that I agree with Oxbay. Its hard for me to see the Giants winning another game this season. Carolina (and/or Atlanta) look like the best team in the league right now. The Giants peaked weeks ago, and it was wonderful. But now they're wounded and tired.

Totally unrelated, but a bit of good news for a change. Just saw that the Giants signed Corey Webster to an extension through 2013. Reese was smart not to wait until the end of the season. Now let's focus on Carolina...

To everyone trying to lay this at Eli's feet and give Gilbrown a pass, think about this.

You can only audible to the plays that you have the personnel in the game for and the blocking scheme set up for.

You can only audible the plays that you've practiced all week. It was obvious to anyone watching that the Offensive game plan was the same one we had when we had Jacobs and Buress in there, that is unacceptable. Gilbrown was completely bailed out at the beginning of the year by the talent, now that we've come back to the pack a little, his lack of ability to game plan is exposed.

We ran the same 100% predictable offense we've been running all year, the same offense that scored nothing all week, the same offense that the whole league has gone to school on and knows how to stuff.

All Gilbrown has to do is watch the tape of what Garret was calling to see what to do. How anyone can defend his poor effort this week is beyond me, yes the players need to execute, but the coaches need to game plan, this was a failure of the latter, way more than it was of the former.

I agree wholeheartedly. Gilbride has the weapons to make this work and the fact that for whatever reason he can't figure this out is beyond me. I REALLY hope that the Raiders make a move to hire him so we can finally be rid of KG. This is really getting ridiculous.

Repeat after me: the Giants win IN SPITE of Gilbride, not BECAUSE of him.

Jerry Reese has GOT TO make a difficult decision this off-season but Gilbride's dearth of any semblance of intelligence is becoming a serious problem.

The Giants should open up the game next week against Carolina in a "No Huddle" This is something we have not done all year. The quicker pace will not allow personnel changes for Carolina and it should catch them off guard. We can throw some quick slants, 3-step drops, run from shotgun, eye, etc.

If we can get ahead then we can put the screws to the Panthers. We played so lousy last night and it was only 7-3. I just think if our Defense can play with a lead we can smother them.

Since the Steelers and Giants have won the bowl as a wild card people have lost there minds. 2 loses to good division opponents... relax it is not doomsday... We have 11 wins people and that wasnt by accident. saying you have to have MOMENTUM going into the play-off is overrated...All my football life 1985-present i have watched teams put it in cruise and rest players at the end of the year or even lose 1 or 2 games at the end of the season, get there bye week and win the big game....go look at the history and tell me im wrong. last year we play the Patriots hard in the last game of the season (lose) and that is why we won the championship? POPPYCOCK!!! as long as we get a first round by (which is more likely to happen than not) we will be fine. We didnt just lose to the SEAHAWKs and the Rams back to back, it was the EAGLES and the COWBOYS people chill out.

ANDY weeks ago you asked people what they thought the Giants record would be at the end of the season, most people said 11 or 12. if that is the case who did you guys think we would lose to? people are already talking about loosing to Minnesota and they have there own problems, they have to beat ATL (i think they play Atl). And neither one of those teams have a QB to fear!!! and if Minni loses then what?!?!?!

just 2 weeks ago Carolina looked like they couldnt score a TD on the Scarlet Knights. now after 2 good games they are the GREATEST SHOW ON TURF? they have problems also!!!!

Some of those good Cowboys and Niners teams would rest guys or lose 1 or 2 games at the end of the year...The Broncos back to back teams also didnt look so great at the end of the year, the 2006 Colt were 2-3 in there last five....

when we would win and I nitpicked (a few others also) about Gilbride not doing a good job during wins people said chill out we are being to hard on him. its the same GARBAGE gameplan. i cant believe people are even surprised by it now that i think about it. ive been CRYING about it during the whole 7 game win streak. think back to the WASHINGTON game we should of had 50 points... we get to the opposing teams 40 yard line and GILBRIDE goes stupid, 2-3 run plays get stopped and he goes pass happy....ANYone watch the STEELERS lately? there running game hasnt been on fire but they dont GIVE UP on it entirely, they still run it with fullbacks if they have to. Ben gets pressured/hit all the time, but what saves him? quick slants, screens and a REAL balanced offense...

i dont think Gilbride's failures can be overstated enough. the difference in division games are usually coaching not talent. as far as im concerned no team in the NFC EAST has more talent than the other.

Atlanta being mentioned as one of the best is a joke. THEY CANT EVEN WIN AWAY FROM HOME. dont be a prisoner of the moment people. can you REALLY trust a rookie QB in his first post season? come on man!!!

I have to respectfully disagree with you. I am not falling off a cliff here, I think it is paramount that we start playing well again. It is very important to enter the playoffs with momentum. It is NOT overrated!

This is not the same team we were 3 weeks ago. If you think that this is because we played 2 tough division rivals in a row ( and that is true)...you have to realize and you can see this for yourself. Not having Plax frees another defender. Hixon is a good receiver but he does not demand double coverage. Teams now have the blueprint to beat the Giants...and that is to stuff the run and have Eli beat them. Now I'll grant you this...Carolina's defense is no where near the level of Philly & Dallas but we have lost our edge.

We have to try to get it back. My point was if we start the game w/ a no huddle it may give us an opportunity to play wit a lead...which has not been the case these past 2 weeks.

How do you think the Giants psyche would be if we lost 3 in a row? That is why confidence is very important. We need to get our swagger back!

i feel like overreacting!!! not because we lost, but how we lost the last two games. our defense played well, no problem with them, but our offense absolutely sucked. what happened to our ot's? boothe is horrible--losing whimper in the preseason showed up--deihl was pretty bad too, and mckenzie wasn't very good either. i agree that gilbride didn't adjust by calling shorter passes to slow down the rush. get bradshaw in space, damn it! another effect of burress missing is hixon not returning kicks. as we see not having jacobs is a big deal as much for his brutal running and blitz stoning as for his getting the ol fired up. i also agree eli needs to change the plays better. aaargh!!!!the good news is simms says the gmen matchup well against carolina. i guess we will see our true giants next week because that game really counts.

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